Chapter 24
Ivy’s POV
The message from Max read: “I could hear the bastard’s voice in the background.” I ignored his message. I couldn’t deal with him right now. I tried to fight back the tears; I didn’t want Asher to see me crying. He had gone out, not too far away. What reason would I give him? That I stalked his social media and saw numerous loved–up pictures of him with other girls in different cities, and it suddenly made me feel insecure and inadequate?
I had a tiny crush on Asher the first time I saw him. I mean, who wouldn’t? He was such a smooth talker, and he had the looks to match. I masked my crush for him underneath hatred. It was much easier that way. I couldn’t stand seeing him with other girls, and maybe I should be happier. I was married to him. I finally had him, but it would never be enough if he wasn’t all mine. I was hurt already, and I couldn’t let myself be hurt again.
The tears trickled down my cheeks. I wiped them away and exhaled. I needed to take my mind off Asher and his women. I didn’t want to think about Max either, so I slipped on a red bikini, put on a jacket and a hat, and went to sit by the beach. 1 sat in silence, staring into the distance, trying to gather my thoughts.
Until my phone rang, disturbing the stillness I was enjoying. One glance at it, and I knew it was Max. I let it ring. I was contemplating answering the call. I didn’t want to talk to him, but I knew he wouldn’t stop. I picked it up. “Max…”
“I knew I recognized that bastard the first time his name popped up. I knew he wasn’t just some random man you picked up and got married to.”
I sat upright and massaged my temples. “What are you talking about?”
“Asher Sterling, the same guy you were always yapping about every chance you got. I didn’t pay attention because I thought he was just another annoying guy. Guess he wasn’t, huh?”
I used to rant to Max about Asher whenever we met at events, and he would bother me. I’d go to Max and tell him how I wanted to break Asher’s head. “Max…”
“So all those times weren’t just talk? You were already screwing him. You had the nerve to accuse me of cheating; meanwhile, you were already fucking him!”
I could hear the anger in his voice.
“Max…” I felt a presence behind me. When I turned around, Asher was staring at me with a deep frown on his face. I froze with the phone in my hand. The other reason I had taken the call was that Asher wasn’t around. I figured I could speak with Max and end the call quickly before he got back. Well, I was wrong. He was back, and the anger on his face was all the sign I needed to know that he knew who I was speaking to.
“I saw your pictures. He’s already posting pictures of you.” Max was ranting, and the phone was on loudspeaker. “You’re with him, right? You went on vacation with him, got married to that stupid…”
Asher snatched the phone from me and brought it to his ear. “Never speak to my wife again.”
There was silence at first, then Max broke it. “Who the fuck do you think you are? That’s my woman! You hear me? I fucked…” Asher cut the call.
My whole body was impossibly still as I sat down. I didn’t know how he was going to react. The silence stretched between us. When I stole a glance at him, I could see him struggling to stay cool.
“Asher…”
“Ivy…”
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Chapter 24
We called each other’s names at the same time.
“Say what you have to say,” he muttered.
I didn’t fully understand his anger. We were married, but only on paper. I couldn’t understand why he had so many emotions about me speaking to Max. “I…”
He raised his hand. “You know what? I don’t want to hear it. I don’t want to hear whatever excuse you have for this.”
He closed the distance between us. I scooted backward, but he kept coming closer. I stared at his bare chest, my eyes wandering to his really short shorts. I looked away. “Asher…”
He leaned closer. My leaning backward didn’t help because now he was hovering over me. I glanced around.
“No one’s around, except for the workers, and frankly, I don’t care if someone were to walk in on us like this,” he admitted.
My cheeks turned pink. “What are you doing, Asher?” I asked in a strained voice.
He put his forefinger over his lips. “Shh, I don’t want to hear it.”
“Ash…” He silenced the rest of my words with a kiss. It was urgent, demanding. He snaked his fingers under my neck and pulled me closer, deepening the kiss. It was hard to resist him at this point. I surrendered to the passionate onslaught of his kisses. When he pulled away for air, I saw the desire in his eyes, and there was something else, a possessive glint. “You’re mine now, Ivy,” he said in his deep baritone voice.
My heart was beating fast in my chest. Mine. What did that mean? Did he tell all the other girls that too? Why was he so possessive? Surely, I didn’t mean that much to him. Why was he sending all these confusing signals?
He gripped my chin lightly. “Hey, look at me. You’re mine, and I don’t care about the other men in your life. They don’t matter. Do you understand?”
I didn’t answer.
“Do you understand?” he asked in a stern voice.
I nodded. “Yes.”
He didn’t seem fully convinced by my answer, but he didn’t say anything else. Instead, he pulled me close and captured my lips in a deep kiss. His tongue teased the entrance of my lips. As soon as I parted them, he slipped his tongue into my mouth. I shut my eyes and leaned into him. Our tongues wrestled for dominance. I moaned into his mouth.
That seemed to excite him even more. He pushed my jacket off my shoulders. His gaze darkened as it traveled over my bikini–clad body. He pulled away momentarily to admire me. “Lay on your back, Ivy,” he said in a husky tone.
“Asher…”
All it took was one look to set me straight. I laid back without further protest. My heart was beating loudly in my chest. He parted my legs with his knees. I was soaking wet at this point. The fact that we were out in the open definitely added to the excitement I was feeling. He kissed my forehead tenderly, then the bridge of my nose. He traveled to my earlobe and lightly suckled it. “I don’t want to hear about him again.” His voice was barely above a whisper.
His kisses traveled down my neck to my collarbone. “I don’t want to hear you talking about him again,” he kissed the top of my breast. I sucked in a breath when he tugged down my bra, exposing more of my breast, and suckled on the skin, leaving hickeys everywhere.
His kisses wandered down my flat belly until his lips hovered between my legs. His gaze darkened, and then he looked up at me. “Never forget that you’re mine, and you’re mine alone.” His voice was hoarse. There was no denying the possessiveness
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8:29 pm DDXX.
Chapter 24
in it. A fresh pool settled between my legs the moment his lips pressed down on my pussy, shielded by the sheer matenal of my bikini. I bit the inner corner of my mouth to stifle my moan.
3:29 pm D
Chapter 25
